You're Invited...

to stop striving

and start thriving.

Therapy for high achievers who are running on empty.

In person in Atlanta, and online across Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

Individual therapy, tailored to you, so the calm you show the world can become the calm you actually feel.

Not ready to reach out yet? See how I work.

1

When Doing Well Isn't the Same as Feeling Well

Maybe you've noticed that being good at your life and feeling good in your life are not always the same thing. You show up, you deliver, you hold it together, for everyone. But privately, something feels unresolved: a fatigue that rest doesn't touch, a disconnection you can't quite name, or a quiet doubt that the life you've built, however respectable, isn't entirely your own. If this sounds familiar, it is possible to feel differently, and you don't have to sort it out alone.

The toll it takes isn't abstract. It shows up as strained relationships, a body that won't settle, or the quiet sense that you're missing your own life while managing everyone else's. None of that is the price you're supposed to pay for being good at what you do.

2

I've Been Where You Are

I've walked a version of this path myself. I had clarity about who I was and what I loved when I was young. Then life, and people, got in the way, and I got turned around. After a major pivot, a good deal of my own therapy, graduate school, a divorce and a few geographic moves, I found my way back to a life that was truly mine. You could say I've walked the walk.

For over 25 years, I have combined psychodynamic psychotherapy, somatic therapies and clinical hypnosis into work that is tailored, collaborative and clinically grounded. This work has been recognized by The New York Times, TIME and Natural Awakenings.

I also understand that privacy matters, especially if your work or visibility makes discretion a real concern. Because my practice is private-pay, there's no insurance company or diagnostic paperwork involved, just a confidential conversation between us.

The toll it takes isn't abstract. It shows up as strained relationships, a body that won't settle, or the quiet sense that you're missing your own life while managing everyone else's. None of that is the price you're supposed to pay for being good at what you do.

2

I've Been Where You Are

I've walked a version of this path myself. I had clarity about who I was and what I loved when I was young. Then life, and people, got in the way, and I got turned around. After a major pivot, a good deal of my own therapy, graduate school, a divorce and a few geographic moves, I found my way back to a life that was truly mine. You could say I've walked the walk.

For over 25 years, I have combined psychodynamic psychotherapy, somatic therapies and clinical hypnosis into work that is tailored, collaborative and clinically grounded. This work has been recognized by The New York Times, TIME and Natural Awakenings.

I also understand that privacy matters, especially if your work or visibility makes discretion a real concern. Because my practice is private-pay, there's no insurance company or diagnostic paperwork involved, just a confidential conversation between us.

The toll it takes isn't abstract. It shows up as strained relationships, a body that won't settle, or the quiet sense that you're missing your own life while managing everyone else's. None of that is the price you're supposed to pay for being good at what you do.

It's Simple to Begin

1. Reach Out

Schedule a consultation to explore whether this feels like the right fit.

2. Meet & Collaborate

Together, we'll shape an approach built around what you actually need, not a one-size-fits-all model.

3. Begin Your Work

Start reconnecting with your authentic Self, at a pace that respects where you are.

Let's see whether we're a good fit.

What Brings You Here

Perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome

Whether you're quietly afraid of being found out, driven toward superhuman results, fixated on being the smartest person in the room, or determined to do it all yourself, it is possible to heal the beliefs underneath the spinning.

Read More

Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout

It can feel like too much, with no clear options and no one coming to help. You may not know exactly when it got this way, or you can point to the moment everything shifted. Let's help you take back your peace and your calm.

Read More

Workaholism

You're the master of your work, and it feels good. You know the rules, you know how to deliver, and the validation is real. But if your work is leaving little room for balance, for healthier relationships, for companionship or other interests, it may be time to rebalance.

Read More

Trauma Resolution

Our formative years shape our beliefs about ourselves, the world, our relationships and what feels possible. If you suspect your present, and your future, could be lighter without the weight of the past, this work is deeply restorative and entirely doable.

Read More

Financial Therapy

Whether you struggle with financial avoidance, financial worship, compulsive spending or "keeping up with the Joneses," your relationship with money touches every part of your life. When one area is out of balance, others tend to follow. Addressing what's underneath your financial patterns can open a whole new path forward.

Read More

"Yours Truly Therapy" Is About Exactly That

Helping you connect deeply with your truest Self and build a life that is Yours Truly, by combining:

Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps you understand your relational patterns: which ones are working beautifully, and which ones could use some tweaking to create the shift you're ready for.

Somatic therapies, including Energy Based Meditation, EFT Tapping, Progressive Counting, somatic processing and the Flash Technique, help clear the nervous system of old distress that insight alone can't always reach.

Clinical hypnosis helps narrow your focus toward a specific outcome, quiet the doubting brain, and access your own internal resources; it can also foster self-esteem and self-confidence.

However we combine these approaches, whether in my Atlanta office or online, your therapy experience stays uniquely tailored to what you need and want.

Read More About My Methodology

What Becomes Possible

Staying exactly as things are is always an option, but it rarely feels like enough. When you do this work, you can expect more calm, more connection, more clarity about who you are, and the freedom to intentionally choose the life you actually want, rather than the one you've simply been managing.

Credentials at a Glance

MSW, University of Michigan

LCSW: GA #003082, FL #25402, AL #6737C

25+ years in practice

Featured in The New York Times and TIME

Full education, certifications and professional memberships are available on the About page.

The Practical Details

Where

In-person sessions are held in my Atlanta office (Add information about neighbourhood/address in Atlanta). I also offer online video sessions for anyone physically located in Georgia, Florida or Alabama.

Fees

Individual sessions are $250 for 60 minutes. Intensives are $700 for 3 hours. Concierge care starts at $1,000 per month. All sessions are private-pay.

Contact

Yours Truly Therapy

[Street address, Atlanta, GA - to be added]

melissa@melissalesterlcsw.com

White Chairs in Office
Green Couch in Office
Brown Chair in Office

Questions We Hear a Lot

This Is Your Invitation

If you're ready to spend less energy holding it together and start building a life that's genuinely yours, let's see whether we're a good fit.

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